Maryam Namazie reading a statement on behalf of the creator of Jesus & Mo

Keith Porteous Wood from the National Secular Society

Nick Doody

Nick Cohen

Rhys Morgan

Jennifer Hardy, President of Queen Mary Atheist Society

Jim Fitzpatrick MP

Susan Zuang, from UCL Atheist Society

Baroness Cox

Rupert Sutton from Student Rights

Richard Dawkins

Kate Smurthwaite

Faisal Gazi

[Someone?] from GALHA, the Gay & Lesbian Humanist Assocation

Sue Cox from Survivors’ Voice

Pragna Patel from Southall Black Sisters

Mark Embleton from Atheism UK

Chris Moos reading a message from Andrew Copson, head of the British Humanist Association

[Someone?] reading a message from [Someone else?] from the International Humanist and Ethical Union

Joan Smith

Maryam Namazie

You can find Richard Dawkins’s short account of the rally here, which includes this tale given in the talk by atheist comedian Kate Smurthwaite:

One of the speakers, Kate Smurthwaite, had a very telling story. She had met an apparently devout Muslim girl, who was never seen without a headscarf and who punctiliously prayed five times a day. They were talking about their religious background and when Kate told her she never went to church, the Muslim girl said, “But doesn’t that upset your parents?” “No, my parents don’t go to church either.” “Ah, so you are free!”. I’ll repeat that. FREE. This poor girl, head-scarfed and praying towards Mecca five times per day, recognised that an atheist was FREE. Yet she felt unable to escape herself, presumably because of parental pressure or threats.

I was very moved by this article. I am aware that many Muslims live in fear. These people are invariably well educated intelligent beings. Those that I have met have always impressed me with their decency and good manners. It must be very hard for them to live in fear of saying something that may offend parents, preachers and ultimately rulers. Hard line religious fundamentalism makes a mockery of basic humanity and is the cause of so much pain and misery.
Everything that impacts basic human rights must be challenged for truth and common decency.

This attitude is not necessarily caused solely on account of religion. Culture may also be a significant factor. I had a client whose ethnic origin was in the Middle East. She was a widow in her fifties. She felt and I agreed that she had a good case for race discrimination and sexual harassment in employment. However, eventually she did not proceed with the action because her father who was living in her country of birth would not permit her to do so since giving evidence in public about such matters would dishonour the family.

I admit that I’m slightly confused. You have stated a number of times that you do not believe that we have free will. Yet apparently you think there is something called “free expression.” I would think the two terms are mutually exclusive.

Even then!
At least if it is one´s own body, as in abortion, suicide, euthanasia.
As for others, torture/rape is more ugly for the victim/survivor as “deleterious consequences” in most cases.
It is unfortunate that laws of men(!) do not recognize this biological fact; and I am glad that these topics are discussed so much in atheist circles now.
Thousand thanks for the website, Jerry,
and for the fine example, that even a being without “free will” has desperate need of free expression!